Standard-Based Automation: Scalability, Flexibility and Exchange for Long Term Missions

Harmonizing testing and operational procedures through standardisation and creation of meta-models is the object of this paper and the main work of the ASE-5 project. Applying meta-modelling allows users to write procedures in input formats suited to their preferences while keeping a unique compilation and execution engine. These inputs are integrated within a decoupled and distributed architecture which satisfies the scalability, multi-device and portability requirements any future automation system should provide. The application of the meta-modelling in a real project (i.e. ASE-5) is explained with an overview of the modules responsible of the automation. During the development the latest open-source technologies have been applied, process which although has raised fundamental issues; it has also brought major improvements which have influenced the final system architecture and behavior.